British carrot growers rooting for parsnips
Rodger Hobson, Chairman of BCGA, said, “Most of our members also farm parsnips, which are in fact related to carrots, so it made sense to extend our campaign. Despite the fact that many consumers want to buy British as well as cook from scratch, parsnips are still a very undervalued vegetable, often only making it onto the family dinner table for Sunday roast. We want to demonstrate that parsnips are just as versatile as potatoes. From creamy soups and crunchy salads to spicy stir fries and gratins, we want to convey to consumers that you can be creative with parsnips.”
A media relations campaign showcasing new, specially developed parsnip recipes is already underway to change the media's and consumers' perception of how the root vegetable can be used.
Health is also a key message of the activity as parsnips pack a nutritional punch providing plenty of essential vitamins and minerals.
In addition, a new, contemporary 'parsnip' section has been added to the already popular British Carrot website (www.britishcarrots.co.uk). The pages contain new recipes, a fascinating history of parsnips as well as information on how they are farmed.
The campaign is sponsored by Tozer seeds, the largest independent vegetable breeding company in the UK. Roger Vickers, from Tozer, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring this campaign and are confident that the messages of versatility, taste and health will encourage consumers to think about parsnips for everyday meals, and not just the Sunday roast.”